10 directors fired mid-movie

Sometimes studios and producers assign a director to a certain project, only to totally change their minds a few months into a project, with our list of ten directors who were fired mid-movie covering this topic in detail. While some left on their own, others were kicked out of the project and had to run through the hills of Hollywood in a desperate search for more work in the industry.

Take a look at our list below, which includes filmmakers such as James Cameron, Paul Schrader, Alex Cox and many more.

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Alex Cox – Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

The 1998 movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas finally gave fans of American writer Hunter S. Thompson a faithful film adaptation of his 1971 novel of the same name. The final product was directed by Terry Gilliam, with Johnny Depp in the lead role. However, Gilliam wasn’t always meant to be the man in the chair.

The film had changed hands several times, and at one point it seemed to be moving forward with The man from the depot director Alex Cox at the helm and producing for Rhino Films. Rhino producer Stephen Nemeth thought Cox could make the film work quickly and cheaply and even used him as a threat against Depp, who owned the rights to the film version. In the end, however, Cox was replaced by Gilliam.

Anthony Man- Spartacus (1960)

The only movie the legendary Stanley Kubrick didn’t have complete control over was the 1960s. Spartacus, the historical epic starring Kirk Douglas in the lead role as the leader of a slave revolt in the Third Servile War in Ancient Roman times. However, Kubrick wasn’t always the film’s director.

Initially, David Lean was offered the project, and after turning it down, Anthony Mann, who was known for his western films, was given the green light. However, Douglas, whose company Bryna Productions was making the film, fired Mann just a week into filming, later saying the director “seemed scared of the scope” of the film and had hired a young Kubrick to work. the place.

Brenda Chapman– Brave (2012)

The 2012 Pixar animated fantasy film Brave was celebrated for being the first Pixar film with a female protagonist. Director Brenda Chapman also became the first female director to helm a feature film for the production company. Or so she thought…

Chapman had played a big role in writing the film and said she was inspired by the works of Hans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grimm, as well as her relationship with her own daughter. Unfortunately, disagreements between Chapman and producer John Lasseter resulted in Chapman being replaced by Mark Andrew, an experience she found “devastating”.

Bryan Singer – Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

The filmmaker behind the famous 1995 film The usual suspects was kicked out of the biopic Queen Bohemian Rhapsody in 2018, when only three weeks of production remained. Disappearing off-set several times, leading to cinematographer Thomas Newton Sigel sitting in the director’s chair, Singer’s erratic behavior on the set of the film caused too much frustration for the producers behind the project.

Singer was replaced by British filmmaker Dexter Fletcher, who helped guide the project to considerable success, helping it win four Academy Awards and even a “Best Picture” nomination.

James Cameron- Piranha II: Spawning (nineteen eighty one)

Piranha II: Spawning, the sequel to the original 1978 horror film, was to be James Cameron’s directorial debut. Cameron had previously been a special effects artist and found his way into the director’s chair after executive producer Ovidio G. Assonitis fired his predecessor Miller Drake.

However, the tyranny of Assonitis did not end there. Taking extraordinarily large creative control from the crew, Assonitis banned the future terminator director to view all of the footage he shot during the editing process and ultimately fired him just two weeks into filming, finishing the film on his own.

Paul Schrader- Exorcist: the beginning (2004)

Naturally, the 2004 horror movie Exorcist: the beginning serves as a prequel to the widely admired 1973 original. The film was directed from Paul Schrader Dominion: The Exorcist Prequel because Morgan Creek Productions was concerned about its future success. They thought the movie was too long and lacked scary and gory moments.

The studio demanded that Schrader recut the film and add more scenes, but Schrader was not happy about it. Ultimately, Morgan Creek brought in Sheldon Kahn to recut the film, which left Schrader “livid”, demanding that Kahn leave the production. However, Morgan Creek responded by firing Schrader and replacing him with Renny Harlin, who finished the film. Curiously, however, the film flopped, and Schrader was allowed to release his version anyway.

Pete Travis – Dred (2012)

Ask any fan of the 2012 comic book movie Dred, written by Alex Garland, and you’ll hear firsthand the passion some people have for this admittedly underrated sci-fi flick. Pete Travis served as the film’s director throughout production, but was kicked out of the film during the editing process when he clashed with producers over simple creative differences.

Garland took over post-production and made some pretty big changes that meant, if he wanted to, he could have claimed co-director credit. After some thought, Garland declined the offer.

Richard Stanley– The island of Doctor Moreau (1996)

Without a doubt one of the weirdest films ever made, the 1996 film The Island of Dr. Moreau, based on the novel of the same name by HG Wells, was a real nightmare to do. Featuring a number of big egos such as Marlon Brando, Val Kilmer and David Thewlis, the stars clashed with original director Richard Stanley, with the volatile Kilmer having a particular issue with the filmmaker.

Eventually, the feud grew so bad that Stanley was fired from the film on just the third day of production, with the filmmaker behind Ronin And The Manchu Candidate, John Frankenheimer, taking the reins.

Richard Thorpe– The Wizard of Oz (1939)

From a rather forgettable film to one of cinema’s most impressive feats, 1939 The Wizard of Oz is without a doubt one of the greatest films of all time. Although the film is known to be directed by Victor Fleming, Richard Thorpe was the studio’s original choice, but he was fired just nine days after production on the film began, with the production team believing he was rushing the film. making the potentially groundbreaking film. .

It didn’t help Thorpe’s case that shortly after production began, Tin Man actor Buddy Ebsen had a severe allergic reaction to the aluminum powder in his makeup, the director getting the boot soon after.

Steven Soderbergh– silver ball (2011)

Speaking of the “Best Picture” nominees, the 2011 film silver ball was in the running for Hollywood’s top prize but was propelled into the position by Michel Hazanavicius’ The artist. Maybe silver ball would have had a better chance of winning if it had been directed by Palme d’Or winner Steven Soderbergh, as originally planned, instead of eventual director Bennett Miller, known for helming the 2005 films . Hood.

Soderbergh was removed from the project when he made silver ball looks too much like a documentary, with that style at odds with what Sony had in mind.